No Budget? No Problem! Top Free 4K Video Editors

The Ultra HD video, also known as 4K video , defines 3840 2160 pixels. It became popular in 2016 and has overtaken both HD and ultra-HD to become the video with the highest resolution. Most videos are shot in HD, but as camera technology improves, 4K video seems to have become increasingly common. Because of the additional level of detail that the camera acquires, 4K videos are large files that allow you more editing possibilities.

Several free 4K video editing software has been developed to make video editing relatively easy in recent times. These free 4K video editors allow you to import, edit, and export videos easily. This article will provide you with some of the best free 4K video editors you should try in 2022.

In this article

01 Best Free 4K Video Editing Software for Windows and Mac

02 Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

03 Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

Part 1: Top 5 Best Free 4K Video Editing Software for Windows and Mac

1. iMovie

Supported OS: iPhone, iPad, and Mac

iMovie is one of the most popular free 4K Video editing software. Using iMovie, you can create a professional-looking video even without any editing experience. You can import 4K images and 4K videos to iMovie, and then trim, split and add titles, transitions, filters or effects to the video by dragging and dropping. What’s more, you can import and export 60 frames per second video in iMovie.

iMovie is a video editing software that imports video footage from digital video cameras that use the MiniDV format. It can play DV, HDV, AVCHD, iFrame, Animation Codec, and other video formats. You can import 4K videos directly to iMovie and export them as 4K videos at 24fps/30fps/60fps. You can also share the 4K video to YouTube from iMovie directly.

Pros:

1. Switching across different devices:

This free 4K video editor is designed to work together using different devices (iPhone, iPad & Mac). You can begin a project on your iPhone, then transfer it to your iPad using AirDrop or iCloud Drive. It allows you to share what you have worked on to different devices, and you can also send projects from your iPad to your MacBook or iMac.

2. Advanced editing features:

What makes this free 4K video editor special is the ability to add some innovative editing functions when creating and editing your videos. Understandably, any video editor should offer basic editing features; however, iMovie allows you to work with more advanced functions like split-screen , picture-in-picture , and green-screen effects .

3. Saving all the original files

An advantage of working with different devices provides an opportunity to save all original files. It saves you time since you can import any media you need to get your project started in the video editor without losing the original files.

Cons:

• Distorted files: If you don’t follow the importing and exporting process, the files might get distorted, resulting in fuzzy images.
• Only available on iOS/macOS/iPad devices

2. VSDC

Supported OS: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/8/10

VSDC is a free 4K video editor that allows for beginner-level editing. It supports recording voice-over, capturing the desktop screen, editing the video and audio files. With VSDC, you can blend multiple footage layers into a single composition. You can easily apply a picture-in-picture effect and make things change their appearance or position.

VSDC allows you to import 4K video, audio, and image files. To successfully import these files; Click ‘Shift + I’ to add an image, ‘Shift A’ to add an audio file, and ‘Shift V’ to add a video file. VSDC allows you to export 4K videos to PC or share to web platforms like YouTube. To export these files, go to the export project tab at the top, and then set the profile to the highest quality. Click the Edit profile button and then select the 4K preset from the list. Choose the video and audio quality size, and then save the video as 4K.

Pros:

• Every tool for video editing is available
• Amazing Visual Effects
• Efficient Text Processing
• Lots of Blending modes

Cons:

• Pro editing features are missing
• Available for Windows only
• Audio waveform and hardware acceleration features are not available

3. ShotCut

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Shotcut is another free 4K video editor made for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows gadgets. It has wide arranged support that features its astounding usefulness. This 4K video editing software may not be the most alluring programming you see, yet it can assist with making the process of editing smooth and straightforward.

This professional video editing software support almost all the latest audio and video formats, including ProRes, DNxHD, and 4K, and it allows you to trim, cut, insert, and overwrite the video and audio. With its video effects, you can do color correction and grading, add fade-in and fade-out effects, reverse the clip, and even edit the 360° videos.

Here is a completed video tutorial from YouTuber Kevin Stratvert, which provides almost all information about how to use Shotcut, including how to create a project, add media, edit clips and export.

Pros:

• Easy Access: The 4K video editor is open source. Users can easily alter the source codes, enabling the process of editing simple and clear.
• Shotcut has every one of the required instruments to give excellent outcomes to clients. It has all elements of good video editing software and a bunch of other supportive and current choices.
• Shotcut offers an easy-to-use interface that allows you to finish a project quickly while having it examined by multiple members of your team. Its preview panel gives users access to a quick start menu, and its view menu lets them decide which features appear on the screen. The software’s video and audio filters are the most amazing of all its features. These filters can be customized, and they can be combined and layered in a variety of ways. Adjusting is now easier thanks to the easy checkbox and slider systems. Shotcut is so good that it makes even the most complicated effects understandable to the average user.

Cons:

• The platform might be a bit confusing when using the software for the first time because the interface isn’t intuitive.

4. LightWorks

Supported OS: Windows, Linux, and macOS

Lightworks is another video editor that can edit 4K videos from EditShare for people who have video editing experience. It has a simple and intuitive user interface, and you will find LOG, EDIT, VFX, and AUDIO tabs at the top of the interface. It integrates some paid royalty-free audio files, so you don’t need to find the background music from somewhere else. This software has some advanced editing features such as Multicam editing and batch export. It even supports third-party plugins, such as Boris FX, Boris Graffiti, and GenArts Sapphire. It enables its users to freely edit videos, even to the extent of trimming a video down to the size you desire.

However, if you want to export the videos in 4K, you need to pay, since it is limited to Lightworks Pro users.

Pros:

• The software allows clips to be easily imported and provides a platform where these clips can be played. This is made possible because this 4K video editor provides an interface made of panels such as bins, timeline, and edit review.
• Lightworks provides an easy way of applying varieties of effects from different clips in a coordinated manner. The software utilizes the hub-based framework to put together clips and recordings, which is needed for clips with numerous effects and tracks.
• Navigating this software, a right-click menu allows the user to export videos directly to YouTube. Also, the software automatically saves your work, so you don’t lose the files you’ve worked on.

Cons:

• Poor quality exporting options when making use of the free version (720p only)
• You need to register first to use it

5. Filmora Instant Cutter Tool

Supporting OS: Windows and Mac

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora is one of the best video editors for beginners to create professional-looking videos in a modern way. One of the biggest advantages of using Filmora is its resources. You can now search the resources in the search bar and drag and drop them to the timeline to preview the result without paying first.

Some of you may say, Filmora is not a free video editor since there will be a watermark at the export video. But here, I will introduce the Instant Cutter Tool which is a perfect tool to trim and merge large 4K videos and action camera videos. This free 4k tool provides a proper way of instantly trimming or merging videos without de-coding, which means the video resolution will not be changed. Using the instant cutter tool, you can upload or merge files of huge sizes in different formats, such as MP4/MOV or MTS/M2TS.

Note: You can try some legal ways to remove the Filmora watermark without paying .

Pros:

• Clean and Intuitive User Interface
• 4K Video Support
• Trim and merge large videos quickly

Cons:

• Limited video formats supported when using Instant Cutter Tool

Part 2: Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

While the general features of the best free 4K video editors have been discussed, it’s important you are aware of some specific requirements your system must possess to edit your videos successfully. Irrespective of the kind of device you’re using to edit your videos, you need to pay attention to some features your device must have. However, these requirements depend on the 4K video editing software free.

• Central Processing Unit (CPU): The Processor of the software being used must be Intel Core i7, 2.3Ghz four-core; this is applicable if you will be editing your videos offline. Then, Dual Intel Xeon 2Ghz six-core is applicable if you will be editing your videos online.
• Random Access Memory (RAM): Preferably an 8GB Memory if you’re editing offline, and 32GB Memory if you’re editing online.
• Internal storage: The required storage must be sufficient because 4K videos are huge files.

Note: Offline editing refers to editing a proxy file of the original source material ; online editing is the editing of the original material.

Part 3: Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

• Choose the software based on your hardware: To choose the best 4K video editing software free, you must not opt for an editing software with higher requirements than your hardware; such software won’t work well on your device. You should instead select an editing software with lower requirements.
• Split large 4K videos into several parts: It has been reiterated that 4K videos are huge files; to edit your videos smoothly, it is recommended to split up the videos and edit one after the other. This will save you from heavy data loss.
• Enable graphics accelerator: A graphic accelerator is used in video editing to turbocharge your video exporting. It’s usually clung to a video board of your system. It makes the editing easier and faster by preventing a heavy workload.

02 Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

03 Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

Part 1: Top 5 Best Free 4K Video Editing Software for Windows and Mac

1. iMovie

Supported OS: iPhone, iPad, and Mac

iMovie is one of the most popular free 4K Video editing software. Using iMovie, you can create a professional-looking video even without any editing experience. You can import 4K images and 4K videos to iMovie, and then trim, split and add titles, transitions, filters or effects to the video by dragging and dropping. What’s more, you can import and export 60 frames per second video in iMovie.

iMovie is a video editing software that imports video footage from digital video cameras that use the MiniDV format. It can play DV, HDV, AVCHD, iFrame, Animation Codec, and other video formats. You can import 4K videos directly to iMovie and export them as 4K videos at 24fps/30fps/60fps. You can also share the 4K video to YouTube from iMovie directly.

Pros:

1. Switching across different devices:

This free 4K video editor is designed to work together using different devices (iPhone, iPad & Mac). You can begin a project on your iPhone, then transfer it to your iPad using AirDrop or iCloud Drive. It allows you to share what you have worked on to different devices, and you can also send projects from your iPad to your MacBook or iMac.

2. Advanced editing features:

What makes this free 4K video editor special is the ability to add some innovative editing functions when creating and editing your videos. Understandably, any video editor should offer basic editing features; however, iMovie allows you to work with more advanced functions like split-screen , picture-in-picture , and green-screen effects .

3. Saving all the original files

An advantage of working with different devices provides an opportunity to save all original files. It saves you time since you can import any media you need to get your project started in the video editor without losing the original files.

Cons:

• Distorted files: If you don’t follow the importing and exporting process, the files might get distorted, resulting in fuzzy images.
• Only available on iOS/macOS/iPad devices

2. VSDC

Supported OS: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/8/10

VSDC is a free 4K video editor that allows for beginner-level editing. It supports recording voice-over, capturing the desktop screen, editing the video and audio files. With VSDC, you can blend multiple footage layers into a single composition. You can easily apply a picture-in-picture effect and make things change their appearance or position.

VSDC allows you to import 4K video, audio, and image files. To successfully import these files; Click ‘Shift + I’ to add an image, ‘Shift A’ to add an audio file, and ‘Shift V’ to add a video file. VSDC allows you to export 4K videos to PC or share to web platforms like YouTube. To export these files, go to the export project tab at the top, and then set the profile to the highest quality. Click the Edit profile button and then select the 4K preset from the list. Choose the video and audio quality size, and then save the video as 4K.

Pros:

• Every tool for video editing is available
• Amazing Visual Effects
• Efficient Text Processing
• Lots of Blending modes

Cons:

• Pro editing features are missing
• Available for Windows only
• Audio waveform and hardware acceleration features are not available

3. ShotCut

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Shotcut is another free 4K video editor made for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows gadgets. It has wide arranged support that features its astounding usefulness. This 4K video editing software may not be the most alluring programming you see, yet it can assist with making the process of editing smooth and straightforward.

This professional video editing software support almost all the latest audio and video formats, including ProRes, DNxHD, and 4K, and it allows you to trim, cut, insert, and overwrite the video and audio. With its video effects, you can do color correction and grading, add fade-in and fade-out effects, reverse the clip, and even edit the 360° videos.

Here is a completed video tutorial from YouTuber Kevin Stratvert, which provides almost all information about how to use Shotcut, including how to create a project, add media, edit clips and export.

Pros:

• Easy Access: The 4K video editor is open source. Users can easily alter the source codes, enabling the process of editing simple and clear.
• Shotcut has every one of the required instruments to give excellent outcomes to clients. It has all elements of good video editing software and a bunch of other supportive and current choices.
• Shotcut offers an easy-to-use interface that allows you to finish a project quickly while having it examined by multiple members of your team. Its preview panel gives users access to a quick start menu, and its view menu lets them decide which features appear on the screen. The software’s video and audio filters are the most amazing of all its features. These filters can be customized, and they can be combined and layered in a variety of ways. Adjusting is now easier thanks to the easy checkbox and slider systems. Shotcut is so good that it makes even the most complicated effects understandable to the average user.

Cons:

• The platform might be a bit confusing when using the software for the first time because the interface isn’t intuitive.

4. LightWorks

Supported OS: Windows, Linux, and macOS

Lightworks is another video editor that can edit 4K videos from EditShare for people who have video editing experience. It has a simple and intuitive user interface, and you will find LOG, EDIT, VFX, and AUDIO tabs at the top of the interface. It integrates some paid royalty-free audio files, so you don’t need to find the background music from somewhere else. This software has some advanced editing features such as Multicam editing and batch export. It even supports third-party plugins, such as Boris FX, Boris Graffiti, and GenArts Sapphire. It enables its users to freely edit videos, even to the extent of trimming a video down to the size you desire.

However, if you want to export the videos in 4K, you need to pay, since it is limited to Lightworks Pro users.

Pros:

• The software allows clips to be easily imported and provides a platform where these clips can be played. This is made possible because this 4K video editor provides an interface made of panels such as bins, timeline, and edit review.
• Lightworks provides an easy way of applying varieties of effects from different clips in a coordinated manner. The software utilizes the hub-based framework to put together clips and recordings, which is needed for clips with numerous effects and tracks.
• Navigating this software, a right-click menu allows the user to export videos directly to YouTube. Also, the software automatically saves your work, so you don’t lose the files you’ve worked on.

Cons:

• Poor quality exporting options when making use of the free version (720p only)
• You need to register first to use it

5. Filmora Instant Cutter Tool

Supporting OS: Windows and Mac

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora is one of the best video editors for beginners to create professional-looking videos in a modern way. One of the biggest advantages of using Filmora is its resources. You can now search the resources in the search bar and drag and drop them to the timeline to preview the result without paying first.

Some of you may say, Filmora is not a free video editor since there will be a watermark at the export video. But here, I will introduce the Instant Cutter Tool which is a perfect tool to trim and merge large 4K videos and action camera videos. This free 4k tool provides a proper way of instantly trimming or merging videos without de-coding, which means the video resolution will not be changed. Using the instant cutter tool, you can upload or merge files of huge sizes in different formats, such as MP4/MOV or MTS/M2TS.

Note: You can try some legal ways to remove the Filmora watermark without paying .

Pros:

• Clean and Intuitive User Interface
• 4K Video Support
• Trim and merge large videos quickly

Cons:

• Limited video formats supported when using Instant Cutter Tool

Part 2: Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

While the general features of the best free 4K video editors have been discussed, it’s important you are aware of some specific requirements your system must possess to edit your videos successfully. Irrespective of the kind of device you’re using to edit your videos, you need to pay attention to some features your device must have. However, these requirements depend on the 4K video editing software free.

• Central Processing Unit (CPU): The Processor of the software being used must be Intel Core i7, 2.3Ghz four-core; this is applicable if you will be editing your videos offline. Then, Dual Intel Xeon 2Ghz six-core is applicable if you will be editing your videos online.
• Random Access Memory (RAM): Preferably an 8GB Memory if you’re editing offline, and 32GB Memory if you’re editing online.
• Internal storage: The required storage must be sufficient because 4K videos are huge files.

Note: Offline editing refers to editing a proxy file of the original source material ; online editing is the editing of the original material.

Part 3: Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

• Choose the software based on your hardware: To choose the best 4K video editing software free, you must not opt for an editing software with higher requirements than your hardware; such software won’t work well on your device. You should instead select an editing software with lower requirements.
• Split large 4K videos into several parts: It has been reiterated that 4K videos are huge files; to edit your videos smoothly, it is recommended to split up the videos and edit one after the other. This will save you from heavy data loss.
• Enable graphics accelerator: A graphic accelerator is used in video editing to turbocharge your video exporting. It’s usually clung to a video board of your system. It makes the editing easier and faster by preventing a heavy workload.

02 Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

03 Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

Part 1: Top 5 Best Free 4K Video Editing Software for Windows and Mac

1. iMovie

Supported OS: iPhone, iPad, and Mac

iMovie is one of the most popular free 4K Video editing software. Using iMovie, you can create a professional-looking video even without any editing experience. You can import 4K images and 4K videos to iMovie, and then trim, split and add titles, transitions, filters or effects to the video by dragging and dropping. What’s more, you can import and export 60 frames per second video in iMovie.

iMovie is a video editing software that imports video footage from digital video cameras that use the MiniDV format. It can play DV, HDV, AVCHD, iFrame, Animation Codec, and other video formats. You can import 4K videos directly to iMovie and export them as 4K videos at 24fps/30fps/60fps. You can also share the 4K video to YouTube from iMovie directly.

Pros:

1. Switching across different devices:

This free 4K video editor is designed to work together using different devices (iPhone, iPad & Mac). You can begin a project on your iPhone, then transfer it to your iPad using AirDrop or iCloud Drive. It allows you to share what you have worked on to different devices, and you can also send projects from your iPad to your MacBook or iMac.

2. Advanced editing features:

What makes this free 4K video editor special is the ability to add some innovative editing functions when creating and editing your videos. Understandably, any video editor should offer basic editing features; however, iMovie allows you to work with more advanced functions like split-screen , picture-in-picture , and green-screen effects .

3. Saving all the original files

An advantage of working with different devices provides an opportunity to save all original files. It saves you time since you can import any media you need to get your project started in the video editor without losing the original files.

Cons:

• Distorted files: If you don’t follow the importing and exporting process, the files might get distorted, resulting in fuzzy images.
• Only available on iOS/macOS/iPad devices

2. VSDC

Supported OS: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/8/10

VSDC is a free 4K video editor that allows for beginner-level editing. It supports recording voice-over, capturing the desktop screen, editing the video and audio files. With VSDC, you can blend multiple footage layers into a single composition. You can easily apply a picture-in-picture effect and make things change their appearance or position.

VSDC allows you to import 4K video, audio, and image files. To successfully import these files; Click ‘Shift + I’ to add an image, ‘Shift A’ to add an audio file, and ‘Shift V’ to add a video file. VSDC allows you to export 4K videos to PC or share to web platforms like YouTube. To export these files, go to the export project tab at the top, and then set the profile to the highest quality. Click the Edit profile button and then select the 4K preset from the list. Choose the video and audio quality size, and then save the video as 4K.

Pros:

• Every tool for video editing is available
• Amazing Visual Effects
• Efficient Text Processing
• Lots of Blending modes

Cons:

• Pro editing features are missing
• Available for Windows only
• Audio waveform and hardware acceleration features are not available

3. ShotCut

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Shotcut is another free 4K video editor made for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows gadgets. It has wide arranged support that features its astounding usefulness. This 4K video editing software may not be the most alluring programming you see, yet it can assist with making the process of editing smooth and straightforward.

This professional video editing software support almost all the latest audio and video formats, including ProRes, DNxHD, and 4K, and it allows you to trim, cut, insert, and overwrite the video and audio. With its video effects, you can do color correction and grading, add fade-in and fade-out effects, reverse the clip, and even edit the 360° videos.

Here is a completed video tutorial from YouTuber Kevin Stratvert, which provides almost all information about how to use Shotcut, including how to create a project, add media, edit clips and export.

Pros:

• Easy Access: The 4K video editor is open source. Users can easily alter the source codes, enabling the process of editing simple and clear.
• Shotcut has every one of the required instruments to give excellent outcomes to clients. It has all elements of good video editing software and a bunch of other supportive and current choices.
• Shotcut offers an easy-to-use interface that allows you to finish a project quickly while having it examined by multiple members of your team. Its preview panel gives users access to a quick start menu, and its view menu lets them decide which features appear on the screen. The software’s video and audio filters are the most amazing of all its features. These filters can be customized, and they can be combined and layered in a variety of ways. Adjusting is now easier thanks to the easy checkbox and slider systems. Shotcut is so good that it makes even the most complicated effects understandable to the average user.

Cons:

• The platform might be a bit confusing when using the software for the first time because the interface isn’t intuitive.

4. LightWorks

Supported OS: Windows, Linux, and macOS

Lightworks is another video editor that can edit 4K videos from EditShare for people who have video editing experience. It has a simple and intuitive user interface, and you will find LOG, EDIT, VFX, and AUDIO tabs at the top of the interface. It integrates some paid royalty-free audio files, so you don’t need to find the background music from somewhere else. This software has some advanced editing features such as Multicam editing and batch export. It even supports third-party plugins, such as Boris FX, Boris Graffiti, and GenArts Sapphire. It enables its users to freely edit videos, even to the extent of trimming a video down to the size you desire.

However, if you want to export the videos in 4K, you need to pay, since it is limited to Lightworks Pro users.

Pros:

• The software allows clips to be easily imported and provides a platform where these clips can be played. This is made possible because this 4K video editor provides an interface made of panels such as bins, timeline, and edit review.
• Lightworks provides an easy way of applying varieties of effects from different clips in a coordinated manner. The software utilizes the hub-based framework to put together clips and recordings, which is needed for clips with numerous effects and tracks.
• Navigating this software, a right-click menu allows the user to export videos directly to YouTube. Also, the software automatically saves your work, so you don’t lose the files you’ve worked on.

Cons:

• Poor quality exporting options when making use of the free version (720p only)
• You need to register first to use it

5. Filmora Instant Cutter Tool

Supporting OS: Windows and Mac

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora is one of the best video editors for beginners to create professional-looking videos in a modern way. One of the biggest advantages of using Filmora is its resources. You can now search the resources in the search bar and drag and drop them to the timeline to preview the result without paying first.

Some of you may say, Filmora is not a free video editor since there will be a watermark at the export video. But here, I will introduce the Instant Cutter Tool which is a perfect tool to trim and merge large 4K videos and action camera videos. This free 4k tool provides a proper way of instantly trimming or merging videos without de-coding, which means the video resolution will not be changed. Using the instant cutter tool, you can upload or merge files of huge sizes in different formats, such as MP4/MOV or MTS/M2TS.

Note: You can try some legal ways to remove the Filmora watermark without paying .

Pros:

• Clean and Intuitive User Interface
• 4K Video Support
• Trim and merge large videos quickly

Cons:

• Limited video formats supported when using Instant Cutter Tool

Part 2: Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

While the general features of the best free 4K video editors have been discussed, it’s important you are aware of some specific requirements your system must possess to edit your videos successfully. Irrespective of the kind of device you’re using to edit your videos, you need to pay attention to some features your device must have. However, these requirements depend on the 4K video editing software free.

• Central Processing Unit (CPU): The Processor of the software being used must be Intel Core i7, 2.3Ghz four-core; this is applicable if you will be editing your videos offline. Then, Dual Intel Xeon 2Ghz six-core is applicable if you will be editing your videos online.
• Random Access Memory (RAM): Preferably an 8GB Memory if you’re editing offline, and 32GB Memory if you’re editing online.
• Internal storage: The required storage must be sufficient because 4K videos are huge files.

Note: Offline editing refers to editing a proxy file of the original source material ; online editing is the editing of the original material.

Part 3: Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

• Choose the software based on your hardware: To choose the best 4K video editing software free, you must not opt for an editing software with higher requirements than your hardware; such software won’t work well on your device. You should instead select an editing software with lower requirements.
• Split large 4K videos into several parts: It has been reiterated that 4K videos are huge files; to edit your videos smoothly, it is recommended to split up the videos and edit one after the other. This will save you from heavy data loss.
• Enable graphics accelerator: A graphic accelerator is used in video editing to turbocharge your video exporting. It’s usually clung to a video board of your system. It makes the editing easier and faster by preventing a heavy workload.

02 Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

03 Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

Part 1: Top 5 Best Free 4K Video Editing Software for Windows and Mac

1. iMovie

Supported OS: iPhone, iPad, and Mac

iMovie is one of the most popular free 4K Video editing software. Using iMovie, you can create a professional-looking video even without any editing experience. You can import 4K images and 4K videos to iMovie, and then trim, split and add titles, transitions, filters or effects to the video by dragging and dropping. What’s more, you can import and export 60 frames per second video in iMovie.

iMovie is a video editing software that imports video footage from digital video cameras that use the MiniDV format. It can play DV, HDV, AVCHD, iFrame, Animation Codec, and other video formats. You can import 4K videos directly to iMovie and export them as 4K videos at 24fps/30fps/60fps. You can also share the 4K video to YouTube from iMovie directly.

Pros:

1. Switching across different devices:

This free 4K video editor is designed to work together using different devices (iPhone, iPad & Mac). You can begin a project on your iPhone, then transfer it to your iPad using AirDrop or iCloud Drive. It allows you to share what you have worked on to different devices, and you can also send projects from your iPad to your MacBook or iMac.

2. Advanced editing features:

What makes this free 4K video editor special is the ability to add some innovative editing functions when creating and editing your videos. Understandably, any video editor should offer basic editing features; however, iMovie allows you to work with more advanced functions like split-screen , picture-in-picture , and green-screen effects .

3. Saving all the original files

An advantage of working with different devices provides an opportunity to save all original files. It saves you time since you can import any media you need to get your project started in the video editor without losing the original files.

Cons:

• Distorted files: If you don’t follow the importing and exporting process, the files might get distorted, resulting in fuzzy images.
• Only available on iOS/macOS/iPad devices

2. VSDC

Supported OS: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/8/10

VSDC is a free 4K video editor that allows for beginner-level editing. It supports recording voice-over, capturing the desktop screen, editing the video and audio files. With VSDC, you can blend multiple footage layers into a single composition. You can easily apply a picture-in-picture effect and make things change their appearance or position.

VSDC allows you to import 4K video, audio, and image files. To successfully import these files; Click ‘Shift + I’ to add an image, ‘Shift A’ to add an audio file, and ‘Shift V’ to add a video file. VSDC allows you to export 4K videos to PC or share to web platforms like YouTube. To export these files, go to the export project tab at the top, and then set the profile to the highest quality. Click the Edit profile button and then select the 4K preset from the list. Choose the video and audio quality size, and then save the video as 4K.

Pros:

• Every tool for video editing is available
• Amazing Visual Effects
• Efficient Text Processing
• Lots of Blending modes

Cons:

• Pro editing features are missing
• Available for Windows only
• Audio waveform and hardware acceleration features are not available

3. ShotCut

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Shotcut is another free 4K video editor made for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows gadgets. It has wide arranged support that features its astounding usefulness. This 4K video editing software may not be the most alluring programming you see, yet it can assist with making the process of editing smooth and straightforward.

This professional video editing software support almost all the latest audio and video formats, including ProRes, DNxHD, and 4K, and it allows you to trim, cut, insert, and overwrite the video and audio. With its video effects, you can do color correction and grading, add fade-in and fade-out effects, reverse the clip, and even edit the 360° videos.

Here is a completed video tutorial from YouTuber Kevin Stratvert, which provides almost all information about how to use Shotcut, including how to create a project, add media, edit clips and export.

Pros:

• Easy Access: The 4K video editor is open source. Users can easily alter the source codes, enabling the process of editing simple and clear.
• Shotcut has every one of the required instruments to give excellent outcomes to clients. It has all elements of good video editing software and a bunch of other supportive and current choices.
• Shotcut offers an easy-to-use interface that allows you to finish a project quickly while having it examined by multiple members of your team. Its preview panel gives users access to a quick start menu, and its view menu lets them decide which features appear on the screen. The software’s video and audio filters are the most amazing of all its features. These filters can be customized, and they can be combined and layered in a variety of ways. Adjusting is now easier thanks to the easy checkbox and slider systems. Shotcut is so good that it makes even the most complicated effects understandable to the average user.

Cons:

• The platform might be a bit confusing when using the software for the first time because the interface isn’t intuitive.

4. LightWorks

Supported OS: Windows, Linux, and macOS

Lightworks is another video editor that can edit 4K videos from EditShare for people who have video editing experience. It has a simple and intuitive user interface, and you will find LOG, EDIT, VFX, and AUDIO tabs at the top of the interface. It integrates some paid royalty-free audio files, so you don’t need to find the background music from somewhere else. This software has some advanced editing features such as Multicam editing and batch export. It even supports third-party plugins, such as Boris FX, Boris Graffiti, and GenArts Sapphire. It enables its users to freely edit videos, even to the extent of trimming a video down to the size you desire.

However, if you want to export the videos in 4K, you need to pay, since it is limited to Lightworks Pro users.

Pros:

• The software allows clips to be easily imported and provides a platform where these clips can be played. This is made possible because this 4K video editor provides an interface made of panels such as bins, timeline, and edit review.
• Lightworks provides an easy way of applying varieties of effects from different clips in a coordinated manner. The software utilizes the hub-based framework to put together clips and recordings, which is needed for clips with numerous effects and tracks.
• Navigating this software, a right-click menu allows the user to export videos directly to YouTube. Also, the software automatically saves your work, so you don’t lose the files you’ve worked on.

Cons:

• Poor quality exporting options when making use of the free version (720p only)
• You need to register first to use it

5. Filmora Instant Cutter Tool

Supporting OS: Windows and Mac

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora is one of the best video editors for beginners to create professional-looking videos in a modern way. One of the biggest advantages of using Filmora is its resources. You can now search the resources in the search bar and drag and drop them to the timeline to preview the result without paying first.

Some of you may say, Filmora is not a free video editor since there will be a watermark at the export video. But here, I will introduce the Instant Cutter Tool which is a perfect tool to trim and merge large 4K videos and action camera videos. This free 4k tool provides a proper way of instantly trimming or merging videos without de-coding, which means the video resolution will not be changed. Using the instant cutter tool, you can upload or merge files of huge sizes in different formats, such as MP4/MOV or MTS/M2TS.

Note: You can try some legal ways to remove the Filmora watermark without paying .

Pros:

• Clean and Intuitive User Interface
• 4K Video Support
• Trim and merge large videos quickly

Cons:

• Limited video formats supported when using Instant Cutter Tool

Part 2: Things You Need to Pay Attention to Run Free 4K Video Editors

While the general features of the best free 4K video editors have been discussed, it’s important you are aware of some specific requirements your system must possess to edit your videos successfully. Irrespective of the kind of device you’re using to edit your videos, you need to pay attention to some features your device must have. However, these requirements depend on the 4K video editing software free.

• Central Processing Unit (CPU): The Processor of the software being used must be Intel Core i7, 2.3Ghz four-core; this is applicable if you will be editing your videos offline. Then, Dual Intel Xeon 2Ghz six-core is applicable if you will be editing your videos online.
• Random Access Memory (RAM): Preferably an 8GB Memory if you’re editing offline, and 32GB Memory if you’re editing online.
• Internal storage: The required storage must be sufficient because 4K videos are huge files.

Note: Offline editing refers to editing a proxy file of the original source material ; online editing is the editing of the original material.

Part 3: Tips for Editing 4K Videos Smoothly

• Choose the software based on your hardware: To choose the best 4K video editing software free, you must not opt for an editing software with higher requirements than your hardware; such software won’t work well on your device. You should instead select an editing software with lower requirements.
• Split large 4K videos into several parts: It has been reiterated that 4K videos are huge files; to edit your videos smoothly, it is recommended to split up the videos and edit one after the other. This will save you from heavy data loss.
• Enable graphics accelerator: A graphic accelerator is used in video editing to turbocharge your video exporting. It’s usually clung to a video board of your system. It makes the editing easier and faster by preventing a heavy workload.

Free Yet Powerful: Top WMV Video Editors

Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.

---

If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

• Windows Movie Maker
• Movica
• VSDC Free Video Editor
• Video Toolbox
• Cellsea

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

• Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
• Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

Pros:

• Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

• Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
• Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
• Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use;
• Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

• Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

Pros:

• Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

• Has file size limit.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.

---

If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

• Windows Movie Maker
• Movica
• VSDC Free Video Editor
• Video Toolbox
• Cellsea

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

• Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
• Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

Pros:

• Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

• Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
• Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
• Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use;
• Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

• Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

Pros:

• Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

• Has file size limit.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.

---

If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

• Windows Movie Maker
• Movica
• VSDC Free Video Editor
• Video Toolbox
• Cellsea

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

• Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
• Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

Pros:

• Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

• Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
• Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
• Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use;
• Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

• Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

Pros:

• Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

• Has file size limit.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.

---

If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

• Windows Movie Maker
• Movica
• VSDC Free Video Editor
• Video Toolbox
• Cellsea

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

Pros:

• Easily-to-use interface;
• Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

• Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
• Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

Pros:

• Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

• Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
• Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

Pros:

• Many useful options provided;
• Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

• Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
• Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use;
• Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

• Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

Pros:

• Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

• Has file size limit.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

YouTube to MP3: A Beginner’s Guide to Audio Downloading

The Stunning Guide on YouTube Audio Download

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Extracting audio from YouTube videos or YouTube audio download is a fairly common practice, and the desire to make the process simpler has inspired the production of countless software and websites.

We’ve framed a stunning guide for YouTube converter video to MP3 format.

Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.

In this article

01 [Something You Need Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube](#Part 1)

02 [How to Download YouTube Audio](#Part 2)

Part 1 Something You Need to Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube

Before we proceed on the ultimate procedure for YouTube audio download, we’d like to take you through a set of questions defined below.

01What is an online YouTube music downloader?

A YouTube to MP4 converter online allows downloading music or audio from YouTube’s video format. For example, let’s suppose you are using keepv.id to download music from YouTube. Here, you’re only required to paste the video link and hit the Go tab to see your YouTube videos converting to MP3 format.

02Why use an online YouTube MP3 Downloader?

The answer is simple as you’re involved in any hassle of downloading the software beforehand in an online version of YouTube MP3 downloader. However, you must look for security concerns in online websites as they have malware or other viruses.

03Is it possible to convert YouTube videos to other formats?

You can convert a YouTube video into different formats such as MOV, MPEG, MP4, FLV, and more.

04Is downloading YouTube videos illegal?

It’s not illegal to download YouTube videos but somewhat immoral for personal use.

05Is it safe to use YouTube MP3 Music Downloader?

Yes, the answer is quite partial here; as already discussed, online websites can be scams or injected with viruses, etc. So, research appropriately before using any online source for YouTube audio download.

Part 2 How to Download YouTube Audio

Now, let’s dive into a detailed guide on downloading video YouTube MP3 via different ways, as mentioned below.

01How to Utilize Mp3 Audio YouTube Downloader Feature?

Addoncrop is one of the most famous browser extensions available to download video YouTube MP3. The extension assists in downloading all the YouTube videos without any complexity.

Its interface is also quite intuitive, and you need to follow the steps mentioned below to download and convert YouTube to MP3:

Step 1: Go to addoncrop.com website and search YouTube to MP3 audio converter.

Step 2: Select the option from the search list, and there, you can select the browser name for which you want this extension.

Step 3: To add this to your browser, click the Download button and follow the on-screen instructions to add it.

Step 4: Once installed, go to YouTube and look for the song you want to download.

Step 5: When you click on the song, you will see the ‘Download MP3’ option right above the ‘Subscribe button. Click it.

Step 6: There’s an option to trim the audio and choose among different bitrates. You can choose up to 320Kbps of quality.

Step 7: You can download the song once you have trimmed and chosen the audio quality.

The fantastic part of this extension is that it does not spam with ads or take you to other websites. All in all, its entire procedure is pretty simple.

02Tutorials on Downloading YouTube Audio on Windows for Free

4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader software program specifically designed for extracting audio from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Flickr freely. It helps in downloading and saving it in different formats, including M4A, MP3, and OGG, without any hassle of ads. We can keep and download a complete playlist to our PC using a 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader.

To download music, follow the below-given steps:

Step 1: Launch 4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader to your system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) .

Step 2: After successfully installing the setup on your computer, open YouTube on your computer.

Step 3: Search for the music video or playlist that you want to save to your computer as shown below:

Step 4: Copy the video URL from the address bar, as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 5: Now, open 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader on your computer, and it will open, as shown below:

Step 6: Click on ‘Paste URL’ at the top-left corner.

Step 7: The software will recognize and start retrieving the information of the particular pasted URL.

Step 8: If you are downloading a complete playlist, it will ask whether to download the entire playlist or download one. A snapshot is below:

Step 9: Select accordingly and wait for a minute or seconds for the audio to download to your PC:

Step 10: After the successful download, it gets saved to your computer, and you can enjoy it whenever you want.

03Tutorials on Downloading Audio Files from YouTube on Mac for Free

Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader.

Step 2: Go to YouTube and find a video, playlist, or channel that you would like to upload into iTunes.

Step 3: Copy the video link from your browser.

Step 4: Click Paste Link in Video Downloader.

Step 5: Select the Extract Audio category, choose M4A format, and click Extract.

Step 6: Once you finish the audio extraction, click the right on the mouse button and choose the Show in folder option. The files directory that downloaded will open.

Step 7: Launch iTunes, go to File > Add to Library tab. Then, locate the folder and select the files.

Alternatively, you may drag and drop the downloaded content to the iTunes window from the folder.

Step 8: That’s it! Now you can enjoy the audio on iTunes on your Mac or transfer YouTube music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

04How to Download Audio from YouTube Using Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox offers a single robust application that helps you to download your favorite audio online, including YouTube.

Step 1: Open the Parallels Toolbox on your screen’s top toolbar.

Step 2: Click Audio under the Library window to access the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Select Download Audio; a pop-up will appear on the screen with a download icon.

Step 4: Open YouTube, search for the video, and drag the URL to the download pop-up.

Step 5: Once the download finishes, a list of all your downloaded audio content will be there on the Parallels window. Unmark them all, and only tick the audio content you wish to download.

Hit the Download Selected button.

It will automatically save your audio to PC.

Bonus Tip: The Most Recommended Audio Editor-Wondershare Filmora

The Wondershare Filmora Video Editor ‘s latest version has various audio editing features worth considering.

We can add the audio downloaded from YouTube as a background using Filmora audio editor and transform the tone.

Filmora also provides a free music library, you can also split the audio by using the timeline’s playhead, adjust the volume, pitch, or the video’s length or even mute the audio in a particular video clip.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

Filmora also helps to add real-time voiceovers by just hitting the record button, and you will also have 3 seconds before the recording begins, and once done, hit the stop button to end it.

There are various other audio editing features that Filmora provides, such as adding and customizing multiple tracks in a clip, fade in and out audio, an audio equalizer for changing frequency, audio speed adjustment, and many more.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Some FAQs on YouTube to MP4 Converter Online

● 4 Main tutorials on YouTube audio download

● Bonus tip for the best audio editor to leave you with creativity

Try It Free Try It Free

Extracting audio from YouTube videos or YouTube audio download is a fairly common practice, and the desire to make the process simpler has inspired the production of countless software and websites.

We’ve framed a stunning guide for YouTube converter video to MP3 format.

Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.

In this article

01 [Something You Need Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube](#Part 1)

02 [How to Download YouTube Audio](#Part 2)

Part 1 Something You Need to Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube

Before we proceed on the ultimate procedure for YouTube audio download, we’d like to take you through a set of questions defined below.

01What is an online YouTube music downloader?

A YouTube to MP4 converter online allows downloading music or audio from YouTube’s video format. For example, let’s suppose you are using keepv.id to download music from YouTube. Here, you’re only required to paste the video link and hit the Go tab to see your YouTube videos converting to MP3 format.

02Why use an online YouTube MP3 Downloader?

The answer is simple as you’re involved in any hassle of downloading the software beforehand in an online version of YouTube MP3 downloader. However, you must look for security concerns in online websites as they have malware or other viruses.

03Is it possible to convert YouTube videos to other formats?

You can convert a YouTube video into different formats such as MOV, MPEG, MP4, FLV, and more.

04Is downloading YouTube videos illegal?

It’s not illegal to download YouTube videos but somewhat immoral for personal use.

05Is it safe to use YouTube MP3 Music Downloader?

Yes, the answer is quite partial here; as already discussed, online websites can be scams or injected with viruses, etc. So, research appropriately before using any online source for YouTube audio download.

Part 2 How to Download YouTube Audio

Now, let’s dive into a detailed guide on downloading video YouTube MP3 via different ways, as mentioned below.

01How to Utilize Mp3 Audio YouTube Downloader Feature?

Addoncrop is one of the most famous browser extensions available to download video YouTube MP3. The extension assists in downloading all the YouTube videos without any complexity.

Its interface is also quite intuitive, and you need to follow the steps mentioned below to download and convert YouTube to MP3:

Step 1: Go to addoncrop.com website and search YouTube to MP3 audio converter.

Step 2: Select the option from the search list, and there, you can select the browser name for which you want this extension.

Step 3: To add this to your browser, click the Download button and follow the on-screen instructions to add it.

Step 4: Once installed, go to YouTube and look for the song you want to download.

Step 5: When you click on the song, you will see the ‘Download MP3’ option right above the ‘Subscribe button. Click it.

Step 6: There’s an option to trim the audio and choose among different bitrates. You can choose up to 320Kbps of quality.

Step 7: You can download the song once you have trimmed and chosen the audio quality.

The fantastic part of this extension is that it does not spam with ads or take you to other websites. All in all, its entire procedure is pretty simple.

02Tutorials on Downloading YouTube Audio on Windows for Free

4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader software program specifically designed for extracting audio from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Flickr freely. It helps in downloading and saving it in different formats, including M4A, MP3, and OGG, without any hassle of ads. We can keep and download a complete playlist to our PC using a 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader.

To download music, follow the below-given steps:

Step 1: Launch 4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader to your system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) .

Step 2: After successfully installing the setup on your computer, open YouTube on your computer.

Step 3: Search for the music video or playlist that you want to save to your computer as shown below:

Step 4: Copy the video URL from the address bar, as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 5: Now, open 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader on your computer, and it will open, as shown below:

Step 6: Click on ‘Paste URL’ at the top-left corner.

Step 7: The software will recognize and start retrieving the information of the particular pasted URL.

Step 8: If you are downloading a complete playlist, it will ask whether to download the entire playlist or download one. A snapshot is below:

Step 9: Select accordingly and wait for a minute or seconds for the audio to download to your PC:

Step 10: After the successful download, it gets saved to your computer, and you can enjoy it whenever you want.

03Tutorials on Downloading Audio Files from YouTube on Mac for Free

Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader.

Step 2: Go to YouTube and find a video, playlist, or channel that you would like to upload into iTunes.

Step 3: Copy the video link from your browser.

Step 4: Click Paste Link in Video Downloader.

Step 5: Select the Extract Audio category, choose M4A format, and click Extract.

Step 6: Once you finish the audio extraction, click the right on the mouse button and choose the Show in folder option. The files directory that downloaded will open.

Step 7: Launch iTunes, go to File > Add to Library tab. Then, locate the folder and select the files.

Alternatively, you may drag and drop the downloaded content to the iTunes window from the folder.

Step 8: That’s it! Now you can enjoy the audio on iTunes on your Mac or transfer YouTube music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

04How to Download Audio from YouTube Using Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox offers a single robust application that helps you to download your favorite audio online, including YouTube.

Step 1: Open the Parallels Toolbox on your screen’s top toolbar.

Step 2: Click Audio under the Library window to access the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Select Download Audio; a pop-up will appear on the screen with a download icon.

Step 4: Open YouTube, search for the video, and drag the URL to the download pop-up.

Step 5: Once the download finishes, a list of all your downloaded audio content will be there on the Parallels window. Unmark them all, and only tick the audio content you wish to download.

Hit the Download Selected button.

It will automatically save your audio to PC.

Bonus Tip: The Most Recommended Audio Editor-Wondershare Filmora

The Wondershare Filmora Video Editor ‘s latest version has various audio editing features worth considering.

We can add the audio downloaded from YouTube as a background using Filmora audio editor and transform the tone.

Filmora also provides a free music library, you can also split the audio by using the timeline’s playhead, adjust the volume, pitch, or the video’s length or even mute the audio in a particular video clip.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

Filmora also helps to add real-time voiceovers by just hitting the record button, and you will also have 3 seconds before the recording begins, and once done, hit the stop button to end it.

There are various other audio editing features that Filmora provides, such as adding and customizing multiple tracks in a clip, fade in and out audio, an audio equalizer for changing frequency, audio speed adjustment, and many more.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Some FAQs on YouTube to MP4 Converter Online

● 4 Main tutorials on YouTube audio download

● Bonus tip for the best audio editor to leave you with creativity

Try It Free Try It Free

Extracting audio from YouTube videos or YouTube audio download is a fairly common practice, and the desire to make the process simpler has inspired the production of countless software and websites.

We’ve framed a stunning guide for YouTube converter video to MP3 format.

Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.

In this article

01 [Something You Need Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube](#Part 1)

02 [How to Download YouTube Audio](#Part 2)

Part 1 Something You Need to Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube

Before we proceed on the ultimate procedure for YouTube audio download, we’d like to take you through a set of questions defined below.

01What is an online YouTube music downloader?

A YouTube to MP4 converter online allows downloading music or audio from YouTube’s video format. For example, let’s suppose you are using keepv.id to download music from YouTube. Here, you’re only required to paste the video link and hit the Go tab to see your YouTube videos converting to MP3 format.

02Why use an online YouTube MP3 Downloader?

The answer is simple as you’re involved in any hassle of downloading the software beforehand in an online version of YouTube MP3 downloader. However, you must look for security concerns in online websites as they have malware or other viruses.

03Is it possible to convert YouTube videos to other formats?

You can convert a YouTube video into different formats such as MOV, MPEG, MP4, FLV, and more.

04Is downloading YouTube videos illegal?

It’s not illegal to download YouTube videos but somewhat immoral for personal use.

05Is it safe to use YouTube MP3 Music Downloader?

Yes, the answer is quite partial here; as already discussed, online websites can be scams or injected with viruses, etc. So, research appropriately before using any online source for YouTube audio download.

Part 2 How to Download YouTube Audio

Now, let’s dive into a detailed guide on downloading video YouTube MP3 via different ways, as mentioned below.

01How to Utilize Mp3 Audio YouTube Downloader Feature?

Addoncrop is one of the most famous browser extensions available to download video YouTube MP3. The extension assists in downloading all the YouTube videos without any complexity.

Its interface is also quite intuitive, and you need to follow the steps mentioned below to download and convert YouTube to MP3:

Step 1: Go to addoncrop.com website and search YouTube to MP3 audio converter.

Step 2: Select the option from the search list, and there, you can select the browser name for which you want this extension.

Step 3: To add this to your browser, click the Download button and follow the on-screen instructions to add it.

Step 4: Once installed, go to YouTube and look for the song you want to download.

Step 5: When you click on the song, you will see the ‘Download MP3’ option right above the ‘Subscribe button. Click it.

Step 6: There’s an option to trim the audio and choose among different bitrates. You can choose up to 320Kbps of quality.

Step 7: You can download the song once you have trimmed and chosen the audio quality.

The fantastic part of this extension is that it does not spam with ads or take you to other websites. All in all, its entire procedure is pretty simple.

02Tutorials on Downloading YouTube Audio on Windows for Free

4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader software program specifically designed for extracting audio from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Flickr freely. It helps in downloading and saving it in different formats, including M4A, MP3, and OGG, without any hassle of ads. We can keep and download a complete playlist to our PC using a 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader.

To download music, follow the below-given steps:

Step 1: Launch 4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader to your system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) .

Step 2: After successfully installing the setup on your computer, open YouTube on your computer.

Step 3: Search for the music video or playlist that you want to save to your computer as shown below:

Step 4: Copy the video URL from the address bar, as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 5: Now, open 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader on your computer, and it will open, as shown below:

Step 6: Click on ‘Paste URL’ at the top-left corner.

Step 7: The software will recognize and start retrieving the information of the particular pasted URL.

Step 8: If you are downloading a complete playlist, it will ask whether to download the entire playlist or download one. A snapshot is below:

Step 9: Select accordingly and wait for a minute or seconds for the audio to download to your PC:

Step 10: After the successful download, it gets saved to your computer, and you can enjoy it whenever you want.

03Tutorials on Downloading Audio Files from YouTube on Mac for Free

Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader.

Step 2: Go to YouTube and find a video, playlist, or channel that you would like to upload into iTunes.

Step 3: Copy the video link from your browser.

Step 4: Click Paste Link in Video Downloader.

Step 5: Select the Extract Audio category, choose M4A format, and click Extract.

Step 6: Once you finish the audio extraction, click the right on the mouse button and choose the Show in folder option. The files directory that downloaded will open.

Step 7: Launch iTunes, go to File > Add to Library tab. Then, locate the folder and select the files.

Alternatively, you may drag and drop the downloaded content to the iTunes window from the folder.

Step 8: That’s it! Now you can enjoy the audio on iTunes on your Mac or transfer YouTube music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

04How to Download Audio from YouTube Using Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox offers a single robust application that helps you to download your favorite audio online, including YouTube.

Step 1: Open the Parallels Toolbox on your screen’s top toolbar.

Step 2: Click Audio under the Library window to access the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Select Download Audio; a pop-up will appear on the screen with a download icon.

Step 4: Open YouTube, search for the video, and drag the URL to the download pop-up.

Step 5: Once the download finishes, a list of all your downloaded audio content will be there on the Parallels window. Unmark them all, and only tick the audio content you wish to download.

Hit the Download Selected button.

It will automatically save your audio to PC.

Bonus Tip: The Most Recommended Audio Editor-Wondershare Filmora

The Wondershare Filmora Video Editor ‘s latest version has various audio editing features worth considering.

We can add the audio downloaded from YouTube as a background using Filmora audio editor and transform the tone.

Filmora also provides a free music library, you can also split the audio by using the timeline’s playhead, adjust the volume, pitch, or the video’s length or even mute the audio in a particular video clip.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

Filmora also helps to add real-time voiceovers by just hitting the record button, and you will also have 3 seconds before the recording begins, and once done, hit the stop button to end it.

There are various other audio editing features that Filmora provides, such as adding and customizing multiple tracks in a clip, fade in and out audio, an audio equalizer for changing frequency, audio speed adjustment, and many more.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Some FAQs on YouTube to MP4 Converter Online

● 4 Main tutorials on YouTube audio download

● Bonus tip for the best audio editor to leave you with creativity

Try It Free Try It Free

Extracting audio from YouTube videos or YouTube audio download is a fairly common practice, and the desire to make the process simpler has inspired the production of countless software and websites.

We’ve framed a stunning guide for YouTube converter video to MP3 format.

Note: We resolutely oppose all forms of copyright-infringing downloads. This tutorial is only for downloading YouTube videos/audio materials from your own channel.

In this article

01 [Something You Need Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube](#Part 1)

02 [How to Download YouTube Audio](#Part 2)

Part 1 Something You Need to Know Before Downloading Audio from YouTube

Before we proceed on the ultimate procedure for YouTube audio download, we’d like to take you through a set of questions defined below.

01What is an online YouTube music downloader?

A YouTube to MP4 converter online allows downloading music or audio from YouTube’s video format. For example, let’s suppose you are using keepv.id to download music from YouTube. Here, you’re only required to paste the video link and hit the Go tab to see your YouTube videos converting to MP3 format.

02Why use an online YouTube MP3 Downloader?

The answer is simple as you’re involved in any hassle of downloading the software beforehand in an online version of YouTube MP3 downloader. However, you must look for security concerns in online websites as they have malware or other viruses.

03Is it possible to convert YouTube videos to other formats?

You can convert a YouTube video into different formats such as MOV, MPEG, MP4, FLV, and more.

04Is downloading YouTube videos illegal?

It’s not illegal to download YouTube videos but somewhat immoral for personal use.

05Is it safe to use YouTube MP3 Music Downloader?

Yes, the answer is quite partial here; as already discussed, online websites can be scams or injected with viruses, etc. So, research appropriately before using any online source for YouTube audio download.

Part 2 How to Download YouTube Audio

Now, let’s dive into a detailed guide on downloading video YouTube MP3 via different ways, as mentioned below.

01How to Utilize Mp3 Audio YouTube Downloader Feature?

Addoncrop is one of the most famous browser extensions available to download video YouTube MP3. The extension assists in downloading all the YouTube videos without any complexity.

Its interface is also quite intuitive, and you need to follow the steps mentioned below to download and convert YouTube to MP3:

Step 1: Go to addoncrop.com website and search YouTube to MP3 audio converter.

Step 2: Select the option from the search list, and there, you can select the browser name for which you want this extension.

Step 3: To add this to your browser, click the Download button and follow the on-screen instructions to add it.

Step 4: Once installed, go to YouTube and look for the song you want to download.

Step 5: When you click on the song, you will see the ‘Download MP3’ option right above the ‘Subscribe button. Click it.

Step 6: There’s an option to trim the audio and choose among different bitrates. You can choose up to 320Kbps of quality.

Step 7: You can download the song once you have trimmed and chosen the audio quality.

The fantastic part of this extension is that it does not spam with ads or take you to other websites. All in all, its entire procedure is pretty simple.

02Tutorials on Downloading YouTube Audio on Windows for Free

4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader software program specifically designed for extracting audio from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Flickr freely. It helps in downloading and saving it in different formats, including M4A, MP3, and OGG, without any hassle of ads. We can keep and download a complete playlist to our PC using a 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader.

To download music, follow the below-given steps:

Step 1: Launch 4K YouTube to MP3 Downloader to your system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) .

Step 2: After successfully installing the setup on your computer, open YouTube on your computer.

Step 3: Search for the music video or playlist that you want to save to your computer as shown below:

Step 4: Copy the video URL from the address bar, as you can see in the below snapshot:

Step 5: Now, open 4K YouTube to MP3 downloader on your computer, and it will open, as shown below:

Step 6: Click on ‘Paste URL’ at the top-left corner.

Step 7: The software will recognize and start retrieving the information of the particular pasted URL.

Step 8: If you are downloading a complete playlist, it will ask whether to download the entire playlist or download one. A snapshot is below:

Step 9: Select accordingly and wait for a minute or seconds for the audio to download to your PC:

Step 10: After the successful download, it gets saved to your computer, and you can enjoy it whenever you want.

03Tutorials on Downloading Audio Files from YouTube on Mac for Free

Step 1: Launch 4K Video Downloader.

Step 2: Go to YouTube and find a video, playlist, or channel that you would like to upload into iTunes.

Step 3: Copy the video link from your browser.

Step 4: Click Paste Link in Video Downloader.

Step 5: Select the Extract Audio category, choose M4A format, and click Extract.

Step 6: Once you finish the audio extraction, click the right on the mouse button and choose the Show in folder option. The files directory that downloaded will open.

Step 7: Launch iTunes, go to File > Add to Library tab. Then, locate the folder and select the files.

Alternatively, you may drag and drop the downloaded content to the iTunes window from the folder.

Step 8: That’s it! Now you can enjoy the audio on iTunes on your Mac or transfer YouTube music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

04How to Download Audio from YouTube Using Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox offers a single robust application that helps you to download your favorite audio online, including YouTube.

Step 1: Open the Parallels Toolbox on your screen’s top toolbar.

Step 2: Click Audio under the Library window to access the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Select Download Audio; a pop-up will appear on the screen with a download icon.

Step 4: Open YouTube, search for the video, and drag the URL to the download pop-up.

Step 5: Once the download finishes, a list of all your downloaded audio content will be there on the Parallels window. Unmark them all, and only tick the audio content you wish to download.

Hit the Download Selected button.

It will automatically save your audio to PC.

Bonus Tip: The Most Recommended Audio Editor-Wondershare Filmora

The Wondershare Filmora Video Editor ‘s latest version has various audio editing features worth considering.

We can add the audio downloaded from YouTube as a background using Filmora audio editor and transform the tone.

Filmora also provides a free music library, you can also split the audio by using the timeline’s playhead, adjust the volume, pitch, or the video’s length or even mute the audio in a particular video clip.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

Filmora also helps to add real-time voiceovers by just hitting the record button, and you will also have 3 seconds before the recording begins, and once done, hit the stop button to end it.

There are various other audio editing features that Filmora provides, such as adding and customizing multiple tracks in a clip, fade in and out audio, an audio equalizer for changing frequency, audio speed adjustment, and many more.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● Some FAQs on YouTube to MP4 Converter Online

● 4 Main tutorials on YouTube audio download

● Bonus tip for the best audio editor to leave you with creativity

The Ultimate List of Free Stock Image Websites

10 Best Public Domain Image Websites

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

• Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
• A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
• A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

• Neatly organized website
• Free and easy sign-up
• Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
• Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

• Some categories should contain more images
• Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

• Powerful search tools and various filters
• Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

• Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

• All images are available in high resolution
• Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

• Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
• The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

• Unlimited access to historical photos
• Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
• Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

• Excellent source of high-resolution photos
• Quick and easy search

Cons:

• Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
• Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

• Images are organized into categories
• Access to rare images

Cons

• Some images are not free
• Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

• Creating an account on Morguefile is free
• All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

• Images can be organized better
• Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

• Professional quality of images
• All images are free

Cons:

• A limited selection of photos
• Doesn’t offer vector graphics

9. NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

• Public domain images are available in different resolutions
• Offers valuable research materials

Cons

• Some images are subject to copyright
• Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

• Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
• A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

• Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
• Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

• The title of the image
• Author’s name
• Information about the institution at which an image is kept
• The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

• Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
• A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
• A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

• Neatly organized website
• Free and easy sign-up
• Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
• Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

• Some categories should contain more images
• Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

• Powerful search tools and various filters
• Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

• Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

• All images are available in high resolution
• Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

• Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
• The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

• Unlimited access to historical photos
• Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
• Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

• Excellent source of high-resolution photos
• Quick and easy search

Cons:

• Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
• Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

• Images are organized into categories
• Access to rare images

Cons

• Some images are not free
• Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

• Creating an account on Morguefile is free
• All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

• Images can be organized better
• Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

• Professional quality of images
• All images are free

Cons:

• A limited selection of photos
• Doesn’t offer vector graphics

9. NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

• Public domain images are available in different resolutions
• Offers valuable research materials

Cons

• Some images are subject to copyright
• Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

• Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
• A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

• Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
• Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

• The title of the image
• Author’s name
• Information about the institution at which an image is kept
• The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

• Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
• A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
• A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

• Neatly organized website
• Free and easy sign-up
• Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
• Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

• Some categories should contain more images
• Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

• Powerful search tools and various filters
• Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

• Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

• All images are available in high resolution
• Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

• Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
• The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

• Unlimited access to historical photos
• Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
• Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

• Excellent source of high-resolution photos
• Quick and easy search

Cons:

• Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
• Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

• Images are organized into categories
• Access to rare images

Cons

• Some images are not free
• Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

• Creating an account on Morguefile is free
• All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

• Images can be organized better
• Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

• Professional quality of images
• All images are free

Cons:

• A limited selection of photos
• Doesn’t offer vector graphics

9. NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

• Public domain images are available in different resolutions
• Offers valuable research materials

Cons

• Some images are subject to copyright
• Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

• Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
• A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

• Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
• Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

• The title of the image
• Author’s name
• Information about the institution at which an image is kept
• The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

• Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
• A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
• A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

• Neatly organized website
• Free and easy sign-up
• Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
• Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

• Some categories should contain more images
• Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

• Powerful search tools and various filters
• Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

• Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

• All images are available in high resolution
• Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

• Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
• The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

• Unlimited access to historical photos
• Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
• Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

• Excellent source of high-resolution photos
• Quick and easy search

Cons:

• Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
• Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

• Images are organized into categories
• Access to rare images

Cons

• Some images are not free
• Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

• Creating an account on Morguefile is free
• All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

• Images can be organized better
• Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

• Professional quality of images
• All images are free

Cons:

• A limited selection of photos
• Doesn’t offer vector graphics

9. NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

• Public domain images are available in different resolutions
• Offers valuable research materials

Cons

• Some images are subject to copyright
• Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

• Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
• A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

• Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
• Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

• The title of the image
• Author’s name
• Information about the institution at which an image is kept
• The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Also read: